Re: Mary GrandPré in SLC and the canonicity of her artwork (long)

[Jen Reese]

Dicentra:
> When David Saylor at Scholastic told her that Time wanted her to do
> the cover art for their lead story, he said something like: "But I
> guess you're very busy, so this might be one to turn down."  She 
said
> that most artists dream of illustrating the cover of Time since 
their
> earliest years.  "What? Are you crazy?  Of course I'll do the 
cover."


Jen: I take it this was a cover done in the past--do you know the 
approximate date? I'd be curious to see it because I don't remember 
that one.


Dicentra:
> She makes three preliminary sketches and they choose one, "they" 
being
> the Scholastic editor and art director.  She does not confer with 
JKR
> on the illustrations, because the editors want the artists to come 
up
> with their own interpretation of the story. (This is also common
> practice in the children's book industry.)   This means, then, that
> the illustrations are NOT CANON.  So much for finding secret clues 
in
> the cover art.  Sorry!  

Jen: The covers may not give away any secret clues, but I always 
thought the POA cover was the most interesting for 'giving away' the 
story inside. There's the outline of Sirius in the tower; Harry and 
Hermione on Buckbeack; Scabbers with light casting a large shadow 
behind him, as if he's changing from his animagus form to human; a 
very small picture of Prongs on the inside back cover; and a 
werewolf under the Whomping Willow.  Of course, I saw all that in 
retrospect! The other covers give general information, but not quite 
so many specifics about the story. 

Thanks for all the good information, Dicentra!